In the continuous exploration and utilization of the spatial environment of Earth, the need for improved large structures in ever increasing. The size of orbital space structures is, at present, limited to the cargo volume of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Shuttle Vehicle. This vehicle has demonstrated the feasibility and practicality of transporting various payloads for deployment into spatial orbits about Earth. It is now contemplated that larger packages may be transported and multiple segments assembled, expanded and/or added onto previously or subsequently launched payloads. It has previously been demonstrated that folded, compressed, rolled and inflatable payloads may be compactly packaged for transport and expanded when placed in Earth orbit. This procedure has proved especially effective for weather and communication satellites, antennas and the like. Large volume truss structures and the like which can be collapsed for storage and transport in relatively small volume and subsequently deployed at the side of use to envelop large volume and/or form planar, curved and contoured surfaces appear to have valuable future use in space, on Earth and/or on other planets.
Some previously employed expandable truss structures have failed to produce regulation mechanisms between expanding component parts and/or have required external deploying devices. These areal truss structures were thus deployed unconstrained or uncontrolled, or were unfolded by the external devices. Uncontrolled folding (expandable) trusses which are devoid of regulating features may exhibit kinematic anomalies during deployment and "lock-up" or become distorted and prevent attainment of the desired final functional state or configuration. The present invention is intended to utilize and maximize the advantageous features of the prior art systems while minimizing the disadvantages thereof.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel collapsible expandable truss structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a truss structure that can be compactly stowed and transported and controllably expanded to an operative configuration at the site of use.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a passive energy source for deploying or unfolding a collapsible truss structure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a controlled deployment force to an expandable collapsed truss structure.
A further object of the present invention is a process for deploying a collapsed truss structure to an expanded operative mode to serve as a support surface for a reflector, platform, building component or the like.